Dental air-water syringe with water purifying device

Abstract

A dental air-water syringe includes a handle and a tip as well as a device for purifying water flowing through the tip. In one embodiment of the invention, the water purifying device is contained within a housing of the tip and optionally includes a number of iodide beads disposed along the length of the housing. In another embodiment of the invention, the device is detachably connected to the tip, and the tip and the device have outer diameters that are approximately equal.

We claim: 
     
       1. A dental air-water syringe comprising: an elongated handle having an air passageway, a water passageway and at least one valve for controlling the flow of air and water through the air passageway and the water passageway respectively, the handle including a first coupler; and   a tip including an elongated housing extending in a direction at a non-zero angle less than 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the housing having a first end portion and a second end portion, the housing including an air conduit and a water conduit, the first end portion including at least one air discharge port and at least one water discharge port for discharging air and water respectively directly into the patient's oral cavity, the housing containing a device for purifying water flowing through the water conduit, the housing including a second coupler releasably engaging the first coupler for detachably connecting the tip directly to the handle, and wherein the housing has a cross-sectional area that is uniform along its entire length.   
     
     
       2. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an outer diameter that is substantially uniform along its entire length. 
     
     
       3. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 1, wherein the housing is integrally made of a plastic material. 
     
     
       4. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a curved longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. A dental air-water syringe comprising: an elongated handle having an air passageway, a water passageway and at least one valve for controlling the flow of air and water through the air passageway and the water passageway respectively, the handle including a first coupler; and   a tip including an elongated housing extending in a direction less than 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the housing having a first end portion and a second end portion, the housing including an air conduit and a water conduit, the first end portion including at least one air discharge port and at least one water discharge port for discharging air and water respectively directly into the patient's oral cavity the housing containing a device for purifying water flowing through the water conduit, the housing including a second coupler releasably engaging the first coupler for detachably connecting the tip directly to the handle, wherein the device for purifying water includes a plurality of iodide beads disposed along the length of the water conduit.   
     
     
       6. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 5, wherein the water purifying device includes at least one porous plug for retaining the iodide beads in a certain location. 
     
     
       7. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 5, wherein the water conduit extends along a central longitudinal axis of the tip. 
     
     
       8. A dental air-water syringe comprising: an elongated handle having an air passageway, a water passageway and at least one valve for controlling the flow of air and water through the air passageway and the water passageway respectively;   a tip including an elongated housing extending in a direction at a non-zero angle less than 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the housing including an air conduit and a water conduit and having a certain transverse cross-sectional area along the majority of its length; and   a device for purifying water flowing through the water conduit, the device including an elongated covering having a transverse cross-sectional area along a majority of its length that is the same as the transverse cross-sectional area of the housing, and wherein the device and the tip are detachably connected to the handle.   
     
     
       9. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 8, wherein the tip includes at least one protruding tubular coupling for connecting to the device, the tubular coupling having a passage for water. 
     
     
       10. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 9, wherein the coupling is received in friction-fit relation in the device. 
     
     
       11. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 8, wherein the tip includes a first elongated section and a second elongated section, the first section including at least one air discharge port and at least one water discharge port, the second section being connected directly to the handle such that the device is located between the first section and the second section. 
     
     
       12. A dental air-water syringe according to claim 11, wherein the device, the first section and the second section each have substantially circular cross-sections along the majority of their lengths with approximately equal outer diameters. 
     
     
       13. A dental air-water syringe comprising: an elongated handle having an air passageway, a water passageway and at least one valve for controlling the flow of air and water through the air passageway and the water passageway respectively;   a tip including an elongated housing extending in a direction less than 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the housing including an air conduit and a water conduit and having a certain transverse cross-sectional area along the majority of its length; and   a device for purifying water flowing through the water conduit, the device including an elongated covering having a transverse cross-sectional area along a majority of its length that is approximately the same as the transverse cross-sectional area of the housing and wherein the device and the tip are detachably connected to the handle, wherein the device includes at least one iodide bead.